A combination of Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol modulates glutamate dynamics in the hippocampus of an animal model of Alzheimer's disease.

A combination of Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) at non-psychoactive doses was previously demonstrated to reduce cognitive decline in APP/PS1 mice, an animal model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the neurobiological substrates underlying these therapeutic properties of Δ-THC and CBD are not fully understood. Considering that dysregulation of glutamatergic activity contributes to cognitive impairment in AD, the present study evaluates the hypothesis that the combination of these two natural cannabinoids might reverse the alterations in glutamate dynamics within the hippocampus of this animal model of AD.

Differential Gene and Protein Expression of Conjunctival Bleb Hyperfibrosis in Early Failure of Glaucoma Surgery.

The early failure of glaucoma surgery is mainly caused by over-fibrosis at the subconjunctival space, causing obliteration of the filtration bleb. Because fibrosis has a suspected basis of genetic predisposition, we have undertaken a prospective study to identify upregulated profibrotic genes in a population of glaucoma patients with signs of conjunctival fibrosis and early postoperative surgical failure. Clinical data of re-operated fibrosis patients, hyperfibrosis patients who re-operated more than once in a short time, and control patients with no fibrosis were recorded and analyzed at each follow-up visit.

Sigma-1 Receptor Activation Is Protective against TGFβ2-Induced Extracellular Matrix Changes in Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells.

The trabecular meshwork (TM) route is the principal outflow egress of the aqueous humor. Actin cytoskeletal remodeling in the TM and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition increase TM stiffness, outflow resistance, and elevate intraocular pressure (IOP). These alterations are strongly linked to transforming growth factor-β2 (TGFβ2), a known profibrotic cytokine that is markedly elevated in the aqueous humor of glaucomatous eyes.

A photoswitchable inhibitor of TREK channels controls pain in wild-type intact freely moving animals.

By endowing light control of neuronal activity, optogenetics and photopharmacology are powerful methods notably used to probe the transmission of pain signals. However, costs, animal handling and ethical issues have reduced their dissemination and routine use. Here we report LAKI (Light Activated K channel Inhibitor), a specific photoswitchable inhibitor of the pain-related two-pore-domain potassium TREK and TRESK channels.

Fast cycling of intermittent hypoxia in a physiomimetic 3D environment: A novel tool for the study of the parenchymal effects of sleep apnea.

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) experience recurrent hypoxemic events with a frequency sometimes exceeding 60 events/h. These episodic events induce downstream transient hypoxia in the parenchymal tissue of all organs, thereby eliciting the pathological consequences of OSA. Whereas experimental models currently apply intermittent hypoxia to cells conventionally cultured in 2D plates, there is no well-characterized setting that will subject cells to well-controlled intermittent hypoxia in a 3D environment and enable the study of the effects of OSA on the cells of interest while preserving the underlying tissue environment.